Would-be American refugee claimaint spat on Canadian immigration officer

A man who had to be physically removed from Canada at the Aldergrove Border Crossing and who spat on a Canadian immigration officer has been found guilty of assault.

Ronald Dosson is an American who has repeatedly tried to enter Canada and been repeatedly removed.

He was found guilty during a jury trial of returning to Canada without authorization, of assaulting a peace officer, and of obstructing an immigration officer.

On Nov. 26 2017, Dosson tried to cross into Canada at the Aldergrove Border Crossing, according to the reasons for sentencing by Justice Nathan Smith.

The officers at the border found that Dosson had already tried unsuccessfully to enter Canada in Ontario previously, and he was subject to a deportation order.

When they refused to allow him to enter Canada, he physically resisted being returned to the U.S., and had to be handcuffed and physically transported back to American soil.

On Feb. 1 of this year, Dosson, having somehow crossed the border without authorization, turned up at the Canada Border Services Agency offices in Vancouver.

He was apparently attempting to make a refugee claim, Smith noted.

Angry at an immigration officer, he spat on her during a Feb. 2 interview. That incident led to the assault charge.

“Mr. Dosson believes that he has legitimate reasons for needing to come to Canada and to flee the United States,” said Smith, “but his firm and, I assume, sincere belief that he should be admitted to Canada as a refugee does not relieve him of his duty to respect and follow the rules and proper procedures around those applications. He appears by his conduct to have demonstrated no remorse.”

The reasons for Dosson’s repeated attempts to enter Canada did not emerge during the trial.

“Mr. Dosson is a citizen of the United States and that frankly is all that I know about him because he has declined to make any submissions on this sentence hearing,” said Smith. “Although I ordered a presentence report, he declined to cooperate with or speak to the probation officer.”

Dosson has been in custody awaiting trial for seven months. He was sentenced to six months behind bars, meaning he would normally have been free to go.

However, Smith noted Dosson is still in custody on an immigration hold while his refugee claim is being processed.

If his refugee claim fails, Dosson will again face deportation to the United States.